The captain of the Greek national team encapsulates the qualities and spirit of the nation's brand of basketball in an almost ideal way. Fans think that Nikos Zisis has been around as long as the Parthenon, because he has not missed a summer in a Greek jersey since the turn of the century, but he is still only 30 years old. He is not a flamboyant guard but he will keep a lid on the opponent's most lethal scorer and then direct his teammates or take the shot with the clock ticking down on the final possession of a title-deciding encounter with the stoic calm of an ancient philosopher. Zisis provides the safe pair of hands that every coach wants in his team when the chips are down but, most of all, his desire and drive to conquer a third EuroBasket medal with Greece remain intact and are contagious.